Have you recently got your car painted, and the orange peel is irritating you? You didn't want your car to resemble an orange peel at all. You anticipated a gleaming, smooth-looking car, but what you got was a rough-textured painted car.
What exactly is Orange Peel Effect?
Orange peel is a certain kind of finish that may develop on painted and cast surfaces. The texture resembles the surface of the skin of an orange, hence the name "orange peel".
Gloss paint sprayed on a smooth surface (such as the body of a car) should also dry into a smooth surface. However, various factors can cause it to dry into a bumpy surface. This is typically the result of improper painting technique, and is caused by the quick evaporation of thinner, incorrect spray gun setup (e.g., low air pressure or incorrect nozzle), spraying the paint at an angle other than perpendicular, or applying excessive paint.
Whatever the cause, either your car was over-sprayed, or the temperature was not appropriate. But don't worry, as you can use sanding for car paint repair, which is very effective in removing the orange peel. We'll show you how.
Steps to Wet Sand Orange peel in Car paint:
We will help you find out how to fix car paint in a few simple steps. Get your hands on the sanding tools and follow these steps to get the best results.
Step 1
First, get your hands on the bucket full of water and soap. Wash the car to remove all sorts of dirt and contaminants. Removing wax is also crucial; otherwise, your sanding discs will not be able to get onto the top of the paint. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a 1:1 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water, i.e., very efficient in removing wax from the surface of the car paint.
Step 2
After properly cleaning the car, remove all the accessories, such as front intakes, badges, and stickers. Moreover, tape up the areas where machine sanding is not being performed, such as car door handles, trim, and all the tight spaces. Also, don't forget to add a cover to the wheels to avoid getting them dirty.
Step 3
Then you need to measure the thickness of the paint's clear coating on the car surface. It helps better interpret the best sanding paper you can use to sand your car. The depth or thickness of the paint is measured using a paint depth gauge. The normal paint thickness of the vehicle is between 4-7 mils. The thicker the paint's clear coating is, the more room for sanding.
Step 4
The next step is to level the texture of the paint by utilizing a 1500-grit film disc. Using wet dry sandpaper determines whether your process needs to be wet or dry. But some troubles are associated with grit film discs, such as removing the paint layers, making it thin and ultimately lowering the paint's integrity. After that, if you get a scratch, it's big trouble for you. So, determine the fine sandpaper grit to prevent the removal of too much clear coat.
First, we adjust the machine by placing foam interface pads beneath the film discs to reduce excessive edge cutting and to lessen pigtail marks during leveling. Your car will acquire a glossy texture, and its orange peel will be removed. Additionally, replace the discs more frequently if they start to slow down or produce less residue.
Wet sanding produces white liquid, which is the residue. This residue is actual paint flaking off the surface of the automobile. After some time, wipe away the residue and check the paint to determine if the orange peel has been eliminated or not. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the leveling.
Step 5
Wet sanding commonly employs the form disc sanding process to create a smooth and lustrous surface. This method takes longer, but the results are spectacular. Because the disc is intended to be wet, a spray bottle filled with water is used to dampen the surface. In this, we use 2000-grit sandpaper to achieve the best outcomes.
After finishing with 1500-grit film sandpaper, now it's time to use a 2000-grit foam disc to refine the car paint's surface. It is the most important step as sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper prepares the car for the next step, i.e., polishing. Basically, 1500 grit sandpaper removes the top layer of the orange peel. In contrast, 2000-grit sandpaper is designed to remove the remaining part of the orange peel to achieve for refined paint surface.
Step 6
The next step is the machine polishing the sanded car surface after removing the orange peel. Machine polishing is usually done in 2 steps to gain spectacular outcomes.
- In the first step, blue course form pads and blue wool polishing pads may be utilized to remove the haze. As you have already used 2000-grit sandpaper in the last step, this step is simple for you. You may use a Dual action polisher instead of compound wool pads or rotatory polishers to remove the haze. It is because there are no sanding marks on the surface
- In the second step of machine polishing, you can use white and ultra-fine abrasive polishing pad to give your car a shiny and lustrous appearance. Also, it is important to protect your car's freshly restored paint surface with a protective coating. Your car will have a glossy and glass-like appearance.
Step 7
Now that your car is ready return the badges and rubber trim to their original positions. Moreover, clean the windows with a decent cleaner. The wheels should be removed, cleaned, and moisturized. You are all now ready to take a spin in your brand-new-looking car.
Final Thoughts:
You no longer need to be concerned if your car's paint has an orange peel look. If you follow all these steps with precision, you can now easily remove orange peel from your repainted car. Good luck! And do your best.
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